• Hardback
• 8.5 in x 11 in
• 256 pages
• Published in 2026

ABOUT THE BOOK

Just in time for America’s 2026 semiquincentennial, reveals the significance—especially for women—of commemorative quiltmaking through 250 years of US history.

Quilts were not just lying on beds during America’s history; in fact, they were sewn specifically to celebrate all of the nation’s important birthdays, anniversaries, and celebrations.

Quilt historian Sandra Sider’s book explores the history of commemorative quiltmaking from the 1876 US Centennial to today, showing how it has acted as a tool for preserving stories, bridging cultural divides, and celebrating important moments both local and national—an easily accessible “scrapbook” in cloth.

Includes:

• overviews of commemorative quilting, as it fits in with many of US history’s key time points
• 200 photographs showing the history of and striking variations within the quilting art form
• explanations of how quiltmaking intersects with sociopolitical eras, such as the civil rights movement and the women’s rights movement

Made by patriotic women early in our country’s history, by today’s most-cutting-edge quilters, and by many other Americans, these quilts help us reinterpret diverse elements of US society, including women’s roles, racial equity, civic pride, and more.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sandra Sider, an expert quilt historian, is a past president of Studio Art Quilt Associates and served as curator of the Texas Quilt Museum from 2012 until 2022. She has taught textile history for the MFA Textiles program at Parsons School of Design and elsewhere and has written or edited more than a dozen books concerning contemporary quilt art.

Foreword writer Pamela Weeks is the Binney Family Curator of the New England Quilt Museum and has written and cowritten several books on quilt history, including Civil War Quilts.